Honoring Community Champions

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Honoring Community Champions
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What is a community champion?

• A public official, a community leader, a
  concerned citizen, a health or human service
  worker, a volunteer, anyone who works hard and
  well to start and/or support an initiative or
  intervention, to bring a program or idea to
  reality, or to otherwise improve the quality of
  life of a particular group or of the community as
  a whole

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Why honor community champions?

• It creates an example for the rest of the
  community to follow
• It provides an occasion to highlight and explain
  community issues
• It demonstrates that even one person can be an
  effective agent for change , and encourages
  democratic action

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Why honor community champions? (cont.)

• It makes not only that person, but others engaged
  in community service feel that they and their
  work are valued and appreciated
• It shows the community who the real heroes are
• It can help to prepare the community for future
  initiatives

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Who should honor community champions?

• Health and human service agencies.
• Local coalitions or initiatives.
• Advocacy organizations that focus on community
  concerns.
• United Way and other charitable organizations.
• Schools.
• Self-constituted citizen oversight or advocacy
  groups.
• Neighborhood associations

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When should you honor community champions?

• The achievement of a goal in which the champion
  has been deeply involved
• Community champions are honored on a regular
  basis
• Special occasions National issue days, ceremonies

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How do you honor community champions?

• General guidelines for honoring a community
  champion
• Consider your resources
• Determine your process for selecting and
  notifying honorees
• Involve the media
• Personalize
• Give her something
• Record the occasion

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How do you honor community champions? (cont.)

• Some specific ways to honor community champions
• Issue a press release
• Hold a press conference
• Voice a public thank-you
• Put community champion awards on your web site.

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How do you honor community champions? (cont.)

• Write or get published a newspaper article
• Present a small gift or award at a public event
• Present a major, unique award or gift, where the
  presentation is the reason for the event
• Have a party

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How do you honor community champions? (cont.)

• Hold a roast
• Regularly schedule community champion awards
• Continue to honor community champions forever